My love index is at its maximum.

The beautiful singing and the sound of the strings blended with the ocean reflecting the starlight, creating an almost illusory feeling that made it hard to distinguish reality from illusion.

As the song ended, countless stars twinkled in the sky, and a cool breeze blew all around.

Immersed in the lingering afterglow, Yui shrugged, thinking to herself that among the three girls present, only she was the blonde twin-tailed Sailor Moon.

"It feels so good!"

Shiori Ninomiya's tone was filled with joy, "Carefree and cheerful, it feels like we're the only few left in the whole world, this feeling is really great."

"That won't do." Tsukasa Tazaki handed her a slice of watermelon. "I have a girlfriend, unlike you single dogs who are all alone."

"Hey Kiki, don't you know how to say things appropriately?!"

The little cutie started munching on the watermelon, seemingly mistaking it for himself, using it to vent his anger.

"He's just a fool!" Kuriyama Sakura commented.

Tazaki Tsukasa stuffed a slice of watermelon into her mouth, then picked up another slice and offered it to Kikawa Yui: "How about it?"

"Hmm~"

The blonde girl responded softly through her nose and handed the watermelon to the girl with both hands.

"Uh..." Tsukasa Tazaki asked, somewhat puzzled, "You've become gentler?"

Yui Kawakawa shook her head.

As if she had made a decision, she tilted her head back and slowly smiled—a smile that seemed rather practiced, like something out of a toothpaste commercial.

But... she's good-looking!

Kuriyama Sakura's eyelids twitched, and she mocked without any politeness: "Kikawa-san's current behavior clearly shows that she has been blinded by beauty."

Tsukasa Tazaki crossed his arms and moved back, preparing for the outbreak of World War III.

Sakura Kuriyama's sharp tongue is practically an innate buff. Even Tsukasa Tazaki, with whom she gets along well, can't help but get a few sharp words from her every day, let alone Yui Kurikawa, a genius girl she doesn't particularly like.

Surprisingly, Yui Kichikawa did not show any anger.

She simply held the watermelon in both hands, savoring each bite, occasionally glancing up at Kuriyama Sakura.

It's a bit like the calm before the storm.

"Shh!"

Tsukasa Tazaki turned around and instructed Shiori Ninomiya, whom he was protecting behind him, "Don't say anything later, just watch their performance."

"Mmm~"

The little cutie nodded nervously, "Kiki, you have to protect me!"

"Don't worry, at worst I'll take you swimming across the Tsugaru Strait and send you back to Hokkaido."

"Haha~"

After finishing the watermelon, Yui wiped her mouth, blinked, and asked Sakura Kuriyama, "To be honest, I envy you."

"Oh?"

Kuriyama Sakura raised an eyebrow and smiled like smoke and morning dew.

"Well, we were both born into upper-class families, but you seem to be much freer than me. You don't seem to care much about what others think or think; you just do what you want to do. In other words, what I envy is that you have ensured your complete and independent self."

Qichuan Wei let out a soft breath, staring at the watermelon seeds she had just spat out: "I've always been a top student, ever since I was old enough to understand. After entering junior high school, I became a well-known genius. I was good at studying, good-looking, good at sports, trusted by teachers and parents, and always a class leader. Even I don't understand why I'm so outstanding. You understand how I feel, right?"

As she spoke, she sighed, "She's like the perfect heroine in a comic book—excellent grades, all-around athletic ability, and with a face that everyone admires. She's the object of pursuit for all the boys in the school."

"Get to the point!" Kuriyama Sakura crossed her arms and grinned. "I don't want to hear this nonsense."

After a long silence, Qichuan Wei frowned slightly, her brows furrowing: "How did you get to this point?"

"It's very simple!"

Kuriyama Sakura raised a glass of juice and made a toasting gesture in the air: "There is no love of life without despair about life."

(You can't love life if you've never despaired of it.)

Kikawa Yui slowly closed her eyes, as if pondering the meaning of those words.

Tazaki Tsukasa felt that the sentence sounded familiar and couldn't help but ask, "I feel like I've heard it somewhere before. I have a vague impression of it."

“From this book.” Kuriyama Sakura picked up “The Stranger” and waved it in front of him.

"No, I've read this book several times, and this sentence isn't there."

Which version are you watching?

I've read both the Japanese and Chinese versions.

Kuriyama Sakura looked at him like he was an idiot: "Didn't you hear me say it in English?"

"..."

Tazaki Tsukasa turned around with a dark face and said to the little cutie, "She actually read the Japanese, French and English versions of 'The Stranger'. She's a pervert. You should stay away from her from now on, okay?"

"more than!"

Kuriyama Sakura proudly raised her chin: "I've also read the Chinese version in Spanish and German, and I've even seen both the simplified and traditional Chinese printing fonts."

Tsukasa Tazaki: "..."

Shiori Ninomiya: "..."

Undeniably, "The Stranger" is a landmark in the "existentialist literature" school, but you probably can't find another person as boring as Sakura Kuriyama on Earth.

After thinking for a long time, Yui Kichikawa pouted like a child: "Can you tell me how you overcame the trauma of your childhood?"

“Hoshino Hanami,” Kuriyama Sakura replied, then looked at Tazaki Tsukasa. Her clear eyes seemed to be looking back on the distant past, shining with a light comparable to the stars.

"...That's my girlfriend."

Tsukasa Tazaki rebuked her sternly, "Don't put on that sentimental look, like you're reminiscing about a former lover. I'm worried you might try to steal my woman away!"

Kuriyama Sakura countered with, "What do you think of Hanami-nee?"

The little cutie quietly pricked up its ears.

“Cute!” Tsukasa Tazaki answered firmly.

"She definitely has a cute side that doesn't match her age." Kuriyama Sakura stretched and said in a good mood, "Sometimes she's serious and solemn, sometimes she's carefree; sometimes she's impeccably dressed, sometimes she's casually dressed. She speaks very fluently, her makeup is always nonchalant, and she always has an optimistic nature. It seems like nothing can bother her. Oh, except for being hungry. Anyway, during the time she tutored me, I gradually became attracted to her."

"Did she lead you out?" Qichuan Yui asked.

“Hmm~” Kuriyama Sakura nodded. “She told me that my life is my own, and as long as I know what I am seeking, I should live according to my own wishes. I don’t need to care what others say, let them say what they want. If anyone gives me random advice, I’ll just catch them and feed them to the crocodiles.”

Kichikawa Yui shook her head in confusion: "It's just ordinary advice, does it really have that much power?"

“The words are very ordinary…” Shiori Ninomiya thought for a moment and said from the side, “But Shiori-chan thinks it depends on where the person who said them holds in your heart. Just like every word Kiki says, it carries a lot of weight in my heart.”

“That makes sense.” Kuriyama Sakura nodded in agreement.

Qichuan Yui didn't say anything, but just quietly shook her head.

Judging from her expression, it's impossible to tell whether she understands the meaning of these words.

Some things can only be truly understood through personal experience. Even if others describe them vividly, it's like watching a slightly more exciting movie – you've only truly experienced them.

Tazaki Tsukasa raised his hand to look at his watch and said, "It's past ten o'clock, let's go to sleep."

Where does Kiki sleep?

"I'll just sleep here."

"I'll sleep here too."

"same."

"What do you mean? You three women are taking advantage of me, a man?"

"Shut up!"

A rustling sound arose, and the four of them lay down directly on the mats on the deck.

The vast Milky Way hung overhead, and the infinitely deep starlight looked as clear as grains of silver sand, a breathtaking sight.

"Sigh, Kuriyama-kun, I must warn you."

"What warning?"

"Hana-chan is mine now, so don't get any funny ideas."

"cut!"

"And Ninomiya too!"

"What's wrong with me?"

"This is none of your business, go to sleep."

"That jerk thinks too much."

"I don't want to talk to you!"

Tsukasa Tazaki took out his phone, the screen's light illuminating his face.

[Hanami: Why are you asking about the Kansai accent?]

[Tazaki: We were chatting earlier, so I thought I'd ask you something.]

[Hanami: Of course! People from Kanto and Kansai are sworn enemies. When I first came to Tokyo, I was often called a Kansai bumpkin.]

[Tazaki: Teacher, do you remember who they are? I'll beat them all up for you, one by one.]

[Hanami: No need, I've already beaten them all up.]

[Tazaki: As expected of you!]

[Hanami: What, you think I'm violent?]

[Tazaki: I'm too busy liking you to even think about it. If my energy allows, I'd like to swim back to Tokyo right now to see you.]

[Hanami: All you ever do is spout sweet talk. Quickly turn on the video so I can see if you're lying.]

Tsukasa Tazaki adjusted his posture and tilted his head back to pick up his phone.

Hoshino Hanami's charming smile came into view.

Splash!